MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION on the situation in Côte d’Ivoire

13.12.2010

to wind up the debate on the statement by the Vice-President of the Commission/High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy
pursuant to Rule 110(2) of the Rules of Procedure

Marielle De Sarnez, Charles Goerens, Louis Michel, Annemie Neyts-Uyttebroeck, Niccolò Rinaldi, Marietje Schaake, Frédérique Ries, Johannes Cornelis van Baalen, Kristiina Ojuland, Ramon Tremosa i Balcells on behalf of the ALDE Group

See also joint motion for a resolution RC-B7-0707/2010

B7‑0724/2010

European Parliament resolution on the situation in Côte d’Ivoire

The European Parliament,

–   having regard to the EU High Representative Catherine Ashton’s statement on Côte d'Ivoire election results of Brussels 3 December 2010,

–   having regard to UN Security Council's Statement on Côte d'Ivoire of 8 December 2010,

–   having regard to the communiqué of the Chairman of the African Union, the statement of the African Union Peace and Security Council, and the final communiqué of the 7 December ECOWAS Commission Extraordinary Session of the Authority of Heads of State and Government on Côte d'Ivoire held in Abuja, Nigeria,

–   having regard to the provisions of Côte d'Ivoire’s electoral code, as well as Law 2001-303 and Order 2008-133, in particular Article 64 thereof,

–   having regard to the interim report of the EU election observation mission,

–   having regard to its former resolutions on Côte d'Ivoire, in particular of 17 November 2004,

–   having regard to Rule 110(2) of its Rules of Procedure,

A. whereas the Special Representative of the Secretary General of the United Nations certified the quality of Côte d'Ivoire electoral process and that the results released by the Independent Electoral Commission are representative of the will of the Ivorian citizens and declaring Mr Ouattara as winner of the elections,

B.  whereas two United Nations resolutions, adopted following the 2005 peace agreement, give the UN a mandate to certify results, and whereas this is the first time that this has happened in Africa,

C. whereas, according to independent observer reports, in particular by the UN and the European Union, the elections were, globally speaking, conducted in a satisfactory manner,

D. having regard to concerns among economic operators, based on the fact that the current situation may lead to an impoverishment of the country and thus the population, as well as West Africa as a whole, given that Côte d’Ivoire accounts for 40% of the UEMOA's GDP,

E. whereas the Chairperson of the African Union has asked the outgoing President to stand down in order to respect the will of the people and avoid a bloodbath; having regard the efforts of the African Union’s envoy, Thabo Mbeki, to avoid the logic of confrontation, and the African Union’s decision to suspend Côte d’Ivoire until the elected President actually takes up office,

F.  having regard to ECOWAS’ decision to suspend Côte d'Ivoire from all its activities,

G. having regard to the ‘measures’ provided for in the Cotonou Agreement, Article 96 of which authorises the parties to take countermeasures on the grounds that the other party has violated its obligations,

1.  Gives its firm support to Mr Ouattara as the legitimate winner of the election and considers unacceptable that the Ivorian government refuses to acknowledge the outcome of the freely expressed will of the Ivorian people;

2.  Insists on the transition of power to Mr Ouattara in order to respect the outcome of the election as certified by the Special Representative of the Secretary General of the United Nations;

3.  Strongly condemns all attempts to jeopardize the integrity of the electoral process;

4.  Firmly supports the efforts of the African Union and ECOWAS in preventing violence and in assuring the recognition of the legitimate government;

5.  Supports the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy in her decision to take targeted measures against those who do not possess democratic legitimacy and to isolate the regime which is responsible for failing to respect the outcome of the democratic process;

6.  Calls on all Ivorian stakeholders to foster political reconciliation in the country;

7.  Deeply regrets the decision of the Ivorian Constitutional Council, all of whose members were appointed by the outgoing President, to alter the results announced by the Electoral Commission, thereby violating the law which it is expected to enforce;

8.  Deplores the acts of violence which have been committed and considers that the protection of the civilian population to be a priority;

9.  Calls on all international authorities, in particular financial authorities, to continue to give sole recognition to the democratically elected President and the ministers he has appointed;

10. Expresses the wish that the European Union and all international bodies will be able to continue providing assistance for the development of Côte d’Ivoire, with the help of the legitimate government;

11. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Vice-President of the European Commission/High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, the Council, the Commission, the governments of the Member States and candidate countries, the African Union institutions, including the Pan-African Parliament, the UN Secretary-General, and the Secretary General of the SADC.